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Friday Qualifying

Three BMW’s make it through to Superpole but how many will show up for Saturday Superpole?

Troy Corser was in P7 with 3’27 remaining on the qualifying clock when CRASH showed in his timing column. Shortly after Fabrizio also showed crash. No information at this time if they were separate or same accident. Both riders were shown as returning to the pits but not able return to the track.

Xaus had a lackluster time on the board holding in P18 for most of the qualifying session before moving up to P17 at the close.

Pitt spent most of the hour in P21 and just outside qualifying for Saturday’s Superpole. In the closing minutes he posted his best time and moved to P18 right behind Xaus.

Resch was only able to muster a P25 for Reitwagen in his return to WSBK and will not advance to the Saturday session based on this.

Programme:
Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport started well into the third race weekend of the 2010 FIM Superbike World Championship in Valencia (ESP). Rainer B?ñumelÔÇÖs technical team brought new traction control software to the Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo. During Free Practice both riders, Troy Corser (AUS) and Ruben Xaus (ESP), concentrated on set-up work and compared the Pirelli rear tyre compounds. In todayÔÇÖs Qualifying Practice Troy crashed on a flying lap, but luckily was able return to the pits unhurt. He finished 14th, while Ruben ended up 17th.

Troy Corser:
Bike: BMW S 1000 RR
Fastest lap Free Practice: 1:35.776 min (4th) / Fastest lap Qualifying 1: 1:35.279 min (14th)
ÔÇ£The new traction control software is a step in the right direction, and the traction of the bike feels a lot better. We only struggled a bit on braking, more than anything on engine braking. Because of this I cannot ride the bike normally on the exit of the corners. We made some small changes on the traction control in the afternoon, but I think we went in the wrong direction. I know I can do good lap times when we get the bike stopping properly. At the end of Qualifying Practice we put new tyres on the bike, but in turn 2 the bike jumped into Neutral and I lost the front.ÔÇØ

Ruben Xaus:
Bike: BMW S 1000 RR
Fastest lap Free Practice: 1:36.447 min (18th) / Fastest lap Qualifying 1: 1:35.641 min (17th)
ÔÇ£I am not where I want to be. In the Free Practice session I was not really happy. We changed a couple of things for the Qualifying Practice session and improved. However, I had some chattering. When I came into the garage to discuss the issue with my crew time was running out to change very much.ÔÇØ

Davide Tardozzi (BMW Motorrad Motorsport Team Manager):
ÔÇ£TodayÔÇÖs positions do not show the exact potential we have. Troy crashed on his flying lap with fresh tyres and normally would have finished todayÔÇÖs Qualifying Practice a lot better. We have to stay positive and focussed for tomorrow.ÔÇØ
Toy CorserÔÇÖs official website:

Troy works on consistency

Troy spent the first day of practice and qualifying at Valencia working on getting an all-round consistent feeling from his BMW S 1000 RR and didnÔÇÖt push for any lap times. At the end of the day, he was happy with the progress he and the team had made and is now looking forward to tomorrow and getting the engine braking working more consistently. Once again qualifying was close fought affair and although Troy only finished fourteenth, he is just one second off provisional pole man Carlos Checa (Ducati). Second quickest today is Jakub Smrz (Ducati), with Shane Byrne (Ducati) third. Troy - 14th, 1:35.279 The circuit definitely has a few more bumps than last year - especially at the second right hander and in the uphill chicane. ItÔÇÖs something to be aware about and it means that it is important to get the bike working well around here. The engine feels nice and strong and the top two gears are better than they have ever been. The new work done on the traction control has made it better and the next thing we have to improve here is the consistency of the engine braking. At the moment, it is a bit inconsistent and thatÔÇÖs making the bike a bit harder to ride. But the boys have had a quick look at the data and they know what has to be done to improve it. I had a little tip-off right towards the end of qualifying when the bike either jumped out of gear or got a false neutral. I banged my left arm a bit in the fall, but itÔÇÖs no problem at all. Tomorrow weÔÇÖll carry on working on the engine braking and getting the bike right for qualifying and Superpole. This track has many slow corners and the twins do well here, so itÔÇÖs up to me and the four cylinder boys to see what we can do tomorrow and raceday. See ya, Troy

Troy Corser (AUS) achieved Team BMW Motorrad MotorsportÔÇÖs best ever qualifying result in the FIM Superbike World Championship on Saturday in Valencia (ESP). The 38-year-old finished the Superpole 3 qualifying fifth after a strong performance, missing the first row of the grid by only 98 thousands of a second. Ruben Xaus (ESP) will start SundayÔÇÖs races from 17th. Prior to this the teamÔÇÖs best qualifying position was sixth for Troy at the N??rburgring in September 2009.

Troy Corser:
Bike: BMW S 1000 RR
Fastest lap Qualifying Practices: 1:34.476 min / Fastest lap Free Practice: 1:35.164 min / Fastest lap Superpole 3: 1:34.059 min
ÔÇ£I am really happy we managed to make it up to the front two rows. The new software on the bike really seems to work better for me. The bike feels fast enough on the straight to battle nearly anybody. I am quite confident as we have been improving throughout each session with the race tyres. We now have to see how tomorrowÔÇÖs temperatures are. The influence of the temperature on the tyre wear seems to be massive. Tomorrow, a good start is important. Here in Valencia you can lose a lot of ground on the leaders in the first lap because of the tight second corner and the slow section that follows. ÔÇØ

Ruben Xaus:
Bike: BMW S 1000 RR
Fastest lap Qualifying Practices: 1:35.133 min / Fastest lap Free Practice: 1:35.610 min / Fastest lap Superpole 1: 1:34.756 min
ÔÇ£Racing in this championship is so close. I only missed the second session of the Superpole by one thousand of a second, so I was a bit unlucky: When I was on my flying lap there was a rider crossing my line. As a result I lost a bit of time in this sector. However, I have to say it wasnÔÇÖt possible to do a lot more today. I am really struggling a lot in the first sector, so we have to find solutions to be quicker there. We now will analyse the data and do our best for tomorrow. Congratulations to Troy for the good result.ÔÇØ

Davide Tardozzi (BMW Motorrad Motorsport Team Manager):
ÔÇ£Today we had our best qualifying result so far. We missed the first row by only a tenth of a second. The team did a fantastic job today. Everybody can see we are performing better and better. LetÔÇÖs wait for tomorrow.ÔÇØ

Valencia (Spain) - Final qualifying: TROY MISSES THE FRONT ROW BY A WHISKER

Yesterday, April 09, 2010, 7:00:00 PM
Troy rode superbly in practice, qualifying and then Superpole today and was on course for an historic front row grid place, but lost out by less than a tenth of a second in final Superpole. Troy ended with the fifth fastest time and will now start tomorrowÔÇÖs pair of 23-lap races from row two of the grid just behind Superpole winner Cal Crutchlow (Yamaha). Second quickest today is local favourite Carlos Checa (Ducati), with Max Biaggi (Aprilia) third and Leon Haslam (Suzuki) fourth. TroyÔÇÖs fifth place means that his BMW is one of five different manufacturers filling the top five positions on the grid. Troy - 5th, 1:34.059 Finally, I feel really comfortable with bike and I can do a whole lap without having to think about every corner. This is the biggest thing for me. We made a good step at the recent Portimao tests and made further progress yesterday and today here and now I feel much more confident about my prospects. Most of the work has been on the electronics - traction control, clutch and engine-braking, but now IÔÇÖve got the bike the way I want and I can just go out and ride. I have had to change my riding style for this bike and thatÔÇÖs not an easy thing to do, but it is necessary in order to get it round the track quickly. Changing your riding style is a big thing and when you are in the middle of doing it, your confidence can drop, so now that I am comfortable on the bike, I already am feeling more confident. Many times recently, I have been riding within myself, but now I feel much more in control. The telemetry is working better and we can understand more about whatÔÇÖs going on and then decide what to do. Working with it is also helping us get a better level of grip and the electronics now help maintain the grip so, with all this working well, I feel I will be able to push harder in the second part of the race. IÔÇÖm looking forward to the two races tomorrow and hope that all these recent improvements and hard work will bear fruit and we can finish with two very good results.

Reitwagen-Motorsport.com

Team Reitwagen BMW riders Andrew Pitt and Roland Resch knew in advance that the twisty 4.000 kilometre Valencia circuit was never going to give them an easy ride, especially with no previous data to work with, but Andrew managed to qualify for the Superpole shoot-out and Roland got through his second day of racetrack rehabilitation without any problems. Practice and qualifying had been very intense and sometimes only one second separated the top eighteen or so riders, so for Andrew to even qualify for Superpole was a mean achievement. At the end of a frantic Superpole, Cal Crutchlow (Yamaha) took the win, with local favourite Carlos Checa (Ducati) second and Max Biaggi (Aprilia) third. Leon Haslam (Suzuki) was fourth and Troy CorserÔÇÖs fifth (on the factory BMW) meant that the top five places on the grid will be filled by five different manufacturers.

Andrew #88 ÔÇô 19th, 1:36.088: ÔÇ£Just before the first Superpole, there was a problem with my number one bike and I had to use the other bike instead. It had a different set-up and so I couldnÔÇÖt push as hard as I wanted to and I knew it was going to be a pretty hard task getting into Superpole 2. It wouldÔÇÖve been good to get into Superpole 2 but, considering what happened, IÔÇÖm not too disappointed and I guess we ended up probably where we deserved.
The balance of my bike is good, but we did have a bit of a problem at the rear today. One direction we took was too hard and another was too soft, so we are now working on a compromise and will see how it goes in tomorrowÔÇÖs warm-up.ÔÇØ

Roland #123 ÔÇô 25th, 1:36.639: ÔÇ£My body feels good and I had no pain today, so thatÔÇÖs good news. We began the day using a Phillip Island type of set-up and then made some changes to try and improve it in the afternoon free practice, but it didnÔÇÖt work out so good. ItÔÇÖs so hard qualifying well when so many riders are very close in lap times and one small slip or mistake is enough to put you way down the grid. But really this weekend is all about me being back on the bike and putting in the laps. This time I will be taking part in my first race for the team and although the two races are going to be tough, I aim to try and get into the points in both 23-lappers.ÔÇØ

This is an interesting bike: the chassis is from 1956 and the engine is from 1966. The 1966 R69S motor was taken out of another bike owned by the builder (according to the eBay listing), and the current state of the bike has stayed the same since it was originally put together.

The second race in Valencia was stopped after three laps due to an accident involving Simon Andrews and Vittorio Iannuzzo. The pair were involved in an incident down the home straight at the start of lap four, Andrews being thrown to the pit wall, while Iannuzzo stopped himself further down the straight before collapsing off the bike.

Corser had already droped to eigth while Carlos Checa was leading at the time, ahead of Max Biaggi and Jonathan Rea

When the race resumed Corser and Haga saw a reversal of race one fortunes in race two. Corser was not able to repeat his race 1 performance continuing to drop and finished twelfth and behind teammate Xaus while Haga took the lead in the closing laps and held of Checa for the top podium spot. Biaggi returned to the podium but down a step to third.

Pitt slipped a spot to sixteenth well adrift of Sykes in the last points position.

Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia) won his second race of the 2010 season today, by 3.080 seconds from Davide Giugliano (Team06 Suzuki) after Maxime Berger (Ten Kate Race Junior Honda) had crashed out of contention for second place.

The final podium place was taken by Sylvain Barrier (Garnier Junior Racing BMW).

In the championship, Badovini, on 50 points, leads Giugliano and Barrier, who are each on 29.

Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport celebrated the best result so far in the history of the young team in the FIM Superbike Wold Championship.

Race 1: Troy Corser (AUS) today secured Team BMW MotorradÔÇÖs best ever result in the FIM Superbike World Championship. He finished the race in fourth, just ahead of Noriyuki Haga (JPN). Before today, the teamÔÇÖs best ever result was TroyÔÇÖs fifth in Brno 2009. Ruben Xaus (ESP) finished the race 12th. The two riders collected a total of 17 points. These are the most points they have scored in a single race. Leon Haslam (GBR, Team Suzuki Alstare) won race 1.

Race 2: The race was red flagged after three laps because of a crash involving Vittorio Iannuzzo (ITA) and Simon Andrews (GBR). The aggregate result saw Ruben finish 11th, while Troy was 12th. Noriyuki Haga won the race.

Troy Corser:
Bike: BMW S 1000 RR
Result Race 1: 4th, Gap to 1st: 00:04.209 min / Fastest Lap Race 1: 1:35.100 min
Result Race 2: 12th, Gap to 1st: 00:26.116 min / Fastest Lap Race 2: 1:35.284 min
ÔÇ£Race 1 was great. ThatÔÇÖs where I expect us to be right now. The bike just felt good. We were able to compete with the top guys, to manage the tyres and to go at race pace until the chequered flag. We did not change a lot for the second race. Unfortunately I lacked grip over the entire race distance. We now have to analyse the data and see what we can learn.ÔÇØ

Ruben Xaus:
Bike: BMW S 1000 RR
Result Race 1: 12th, Gap to 1st: 00:25.203 min / Fastest Lap Race 1: 1:36.063 min
Result Race 2: 11th, Gap to 1st: 00:25.179 min / Fastest Lap Race 2: 1:36.083 min
ÔÇ£Overall I am not too unhappy. We knew that Valencia would be tough for us. The weekend was more or less over after missing the second session of Superpole. When you start from 17th, racing is really tough. You lose contact with the front riders very quickly and then you have to fight over the entire race distance. It is hard to find your rhythm. Anyway, finishing in 12th and 11th is not too bad. Congratulations to Troy and the entire team for the great performance. I am confident of scoring better results soon.ÔÇØ

Berthold Hauser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director):
ÔÇ£We scored the best result so far in our teamÔÇÖs short history in the Superbike World Championship, so certainly I am very happy. We demonstrated in Superpole and in race 1 that we are really not far from the top guys. The team has worked very hard over the last couple of months and finally the hard work seems to be paying off. We are definitely heading in the right direction. We knew that Valencia would be tough and now wait for tracks that suit us better. We hope both Vittorio Iannuzzo and Simon Andrews get well soon. All best wishes to them.ÔÇØ

Second victory in the second race of the season and the lead in both the RidersÔÇÖ and Manufacturers' Championship extended: Team BMW Motorrad Italia STK stays as the benchmark in the FIM Superstock 1000 Cup. Ayrton Badovini (ITA) won the race more than three seconds ahead of his compatriot Davide Giugliano and BMW S 1000 RR rider Sylvain Barrier (FRA). Badovini leads the overall ridersÔÇÖ standings with the maximum possible of 50 points, ahead of Giugliano and Barrier (both 29 points). In the manufacturers' standings, BMW also leads with 50 points ahead of Honda (33).

Troy took fourth place - his best ever result for Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport - in the first Superbike World Championship race in Valencia today. After a superb qualifying and Superpole, Troy began from fifth place on the grid and then made a tremendous start to lead the field down the straight and into turn one. He looked comfortable at the front and even when Carlos Checa (Ducati) went, he just tucked in behind the Spaniard without a problem. As the race wore on, a small problem caused by a bit of confusion between the traction control and engine braking buttons pushed Troy out of the top three. Nevertheless, he battled away to take fourth place, only half a second adrift of James Toseland (Yamaha) at the flag. Race two was a two-part affair after a big crash by Simon Andrews (Kawasaki) on the start-finish straight. Troy suffered rear grip problems and struggled to keep going, but somehow hung on to take 12th place when the results were aggregated. Series leader Leon Haslam (Suzuki) won the first race, with Max Biaggi (Aprilia) second and Toseland third. The second race was won by Noriyuki Haga (Ducati), with Checa second and Biaggi third. Troy - Race 1: 4th, Race 2: 12th The first race was great - just like it should always be! The bike had good grip, the traction control worked perfectly and the engine braking was spot on. I got a good start and went into the lead and I must say I felt pretty comfortable there. Even when Carlos came past, I knew I could just stay with him and watch what was going on. Everything was going good until I think I got a bit confused between the traction control and engine braking buttons and lost a little time and also third spot. But, it had been great to run at the front again and thatÔÇÖs how it should be. In the first part of the second race, I didnÔÇÖt have much grip right from the start and I was quite happy when it was red-flagged because it gave us a chance to make some changes and see if we could improve the situation. We changed a tyre and the brake pads, but the bike just never hooked up and I felt like I had no grip at all. I turned the traction control right up and thatÔÇÖs what saved me from crashing many times. The lack of grip was so bad, I thought about pulling in, but in the end I decided to keep going and take as many points as I could. So, all in all, race one - great, race two - not, but good to feel that the bike could work properly and I could run at the front. See ya, Troy

Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia) won his second race of the 2010 season today, by 3.080 seconds from Davide Giugliano (Team06 Suzuki) after Maxime Berger (Ten Kate Race Junior Honda) had crashed out of contention for second place. The final podium place was taken by Sylvain Barrier (Garnier Junior Racing BMW). In the championship, Badovini, on 50 points, leads Giugliano and Barrier, who are each on 29.

racecar-engineering.com: F1 2011 Michelin tyres
Michelin continues to explore a return to F1 but is asking for several conditions to be met.

Other Racing News

Juha Salminen leads BMWÔÇÖs charge at ÔÇÖ10 EWC GP of Spain

Former seven-time Enduro World Champion Juha Salminen delivered the BMW Husqvarna Motorsport teamÔÇÖs best results at the opening round of the ÔÇÖ10 Enduro World Championship series, the GP of Spain staged in Andaluc?¡aÔÇÖs Valverde del Camino, placing third on day one and fourth on day two in the competitive Enduro 2 class.

Looking to improve on his ÔÇÖ09 result of second in the Enduro 2 class, Salminen made a cautious start to the opening GP of the ÔÇÖ10 season and finished fifth in class at the end of the Friday night prologue. With poor visibility causing problems for many riders JuhaÔÇÖs decision not to push too hard proved to be a wise one.
Come the start of the event proper Salminen was quick out of the blocks as he recorded the third fastest E2 class time on the first dayÔÇÖs opening special test. A small mistake on the first extreme test did little to help him but soon back up to speed Juha finished inside the top three of the following three special tests before winning the dayÔÇÖs ninth test.

Winning again just two tests later Salminen finished the day strongly and after more than one-hour of special test racing placed less just three seconds behind runner-up Ivan Cervantes and only 21 seconds from the top step of the podium.
Despite consistent riding throughout the second dayÔÇÖs competition Juha was unable to repeat his impressive day one result and finished fourth, having been demoted one position by Frenchman Rodrig Thain. Never finishing lower that sixth in class Juha placed comfortably ahead of fifth placed rider Thomas Oldrati having made an extremely positive start to his ÔÇÖ10 Enduro World Championship.

JuhaÔÇÖs BMW Husqvarna Motorsport team-mate Marko Tarkkala endured a difficult time at the GP of Spain, unable to make any impression on the E2 class leaders on either day. Despite his best efforts Marko placed 15th at the end of the first dayÔÇÖs competition and in 14th on day two.

The BMW Husqvarna Motorsport teamÔÇÖs next event will be the second round of the ÔÇÖ10 Enduro World Cup, which will be staged in Portugal, April 17/18.

Juha Salminen ÔÇô Enduro 2 class: ÔÇ£It was definitely a hard race, all riders found it hard. With the five special tests each lap, eight hours of riding each day, and many long, technical time controls, there was no time to rest at all. IÔÇÖm really happy with my riding, but I guess you could say I had one good day and one ok day. The first day went really well. I didnÔÇÖt make any major mistakes and felt good. The second day was much rougher, and that caused a few problems. I was pushing hard but I just couldnÔÇÖt match my speed from the first day. One podium and one fourth place result isnÔÇÖt a bad start to the championship so IÔÇÖm pretty pleased with it, and looking forward to the next event in Portugal.ÔÇØ

The post Phillips Island debacle world for Ruben Xaus was full of rumors that he was due to be replaced as the number two rider at BMW Motorrad Motorsport. The consensus conclusion for the rumor mill was his ride was safe until the World SBK circus had made its pending Iberian Peninsula tour then all bets were off again. This thinking centered on assumptions of the needs for race promoters and BMWÔÇÖs Spanish dealer needs.

National riders on factory teams bring out fans to home races. If you share a peninsula with the home country of the factory rider that rider may still have drawing power. That appears to be the belief held by the Portimao track promoters whose website SBK banner featured Spaniard Ruben Xaus and his S1000RR leading the SBK charge.

Xaus has increasingly been absent from lens of the BMW press photographer. This is not unusual for the number two rider or driver on a BMW team. F1 fans may have noticed that German driver Nick Heidfeld wrestled a lot of lens time away from his Polish teammate Robert Kubica even when the latter was clearly the lead driver on the track. Heidfeld had showroom appeal for a German brand. Xaus garnered some lens time during the Iberian round of races but what is his showroom/fan draw for the rest of the season?

If not a promotional tool what is the role for a number two on a team? The two quick answers that come to mind for this question are development and team strategy.

Number two riders are often relegated to on track data gathering and assisting in the development of setup and parts for the number one rider.

Winning teams learn from mistakes even crashes. Data and rider input form these racing mishaps deliver valuable data for development by defining boundaries or poor development directions. But this data comes at a price for rider and team that can be absorbed in limited quantities. The real value is defining those without the crash while gathering more and more data to propel the number one rider to the top. XausÔÇÖ crashes delivered valuable data to the team. It came at a big price for him personally and the team.

Many journeyman races have carved out long and successful careers in number two development roles for their teamÔÇÖs star racer. They complimented the starÔÇÖs skills and needs. In such cases the combination of one and two resulted in Rider and ManufacturerÔÇÖs Championships.

Xaus and Corser came to BMW with similar WSBK resumes. They both spent a great portion of their careers on Italian V-twins and more. On paper they present a complimentary pair to develop the BMW bike and team around. However, as the team has developed Xaus has been quoted as increasingly uncomfortable with the setup that Corser uses. In the early stages of race development this would allow for exploration of alternatives but as Corser comes closer and closer to the bike he needs to propel him to the podium and beyond the gap between he and Xaus seems to grow. At some point Berthold Hauser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director) has to ask himself if Xaus is the number two that will help develop CorserÔÇÖs bike to the podium and perhaps a championship.

Team strategy has a subtle difference from an individual racers strategy in that it is a two part strategy. Like any racer the ultimate goal is wining races and championships. The top podium spot pays the most at the track and hopefully in the showroom. The second part of team strategy is often lost on us fans. Simply put once your number one has taken the best points paying position it is for your number two to deny the second best points paying position to the opponents.

Baring a made for Hollywood season script teams like BMW develop on a predictable path in WSBK. Goal one is make it to Superpole qualifying. Goal to is to make it to the Q3 round and hopefully the Superpole. Race day make it to the checkered flag then race after race work your way to the top. Repeat again race after race and win a manufacturerÔÇÖs championship.

For the Manufacturers' Championship, only the highest finishing motorcycle by a particular manufacturer is awarded the points for that position, as in MotoGP and most other forms of motorcycle racing. The last points paying position is P15. This system has two impacts on a teams number two. First you want the best possible second to your number one, with one position down the list of finishers being the best result. Secondly if your number one has trouble you are expected to be in the position to pick up the slack and points toward the manufacturerÔÇÖs championship.

In the 2009 rookie season the position gap between the number one and two BMW riders made little difference. Until the latter stages of the season both spent most of their time motoring around tracks in the mid pack or to the rear. The 2010 season is another story. The Valencia race is an excellent example of the problem presented in the current team. In race one Corser posted a P4 while Xaus managed a P12. In race two when Corser began to have trouble and began falling back he fell all the way to P12 before elevating Xaus to P11. Xaus did not deny the opposition any points in the championship hunt.

The 2010 season is bringing performance pressure from a new source; Reitwagen Motorsport. Andrew Pitt, ReitwagenÔÇÖs number one, is beginning to close in on Xaus from behind putting pressure on the Spaniard to step up his game and not let the satellite team rider best him and his factory bike.

Corser has said he wants to retire with another world championship to his credit. BMW and Berthold Hauser secured the services of Davide Tardozzi to help him do this. They also expect the two to help bring a manufacturers championship title to the trophy case in the BMW Museum in Munich.

Last season Hauser demonstrated that he is not afraid to make midseason changes when he and David Knight came to agreement to buy out a contract allowing the G450X rider with world champion credentials (with other teams) to seek a ride elsewhere midseason. Will he do the same with the World Superbike Team?

The weekend of the 3and 4 April took place at the opening of France Superbike Championship round L?®denon. The 1000 RR of team BMW France S are driven by Sebastien Gimbert (French national champion title) and Erwan Nigon (vice champion of France 2008).

With these pilots renowned, expectations of the public and the media were very high, since the S 1000 RR showed its high potential by winning, last week, the sleeve opening Cup FIM Superstock 1000 at Portimao (Portugal).

1st round
Show the public had, erratic weather conditions giving rise to many developments. The alternation between rain and cloudy led teams to opt for very diverse tire choices with a majority of mixed montes (rain front, slick back) on departure, including for the BMW grid. One exception, Vincent Philippe takes the risk of starting a still wet with an intermediate tire on the front and a slick back, winning combination that day tire runway. The pole-man Jake Da Costa, meanwhile, remains in rain tire which repoussera 6th place on the first race. Erwan Nigon, placed second on the starting grid, patina on startup and herself in substance classification as soon as the first turn. The track drying, it demonstrated a mental wholesale and provides a spectacular escalated up to 3rd place, just behind his teammate S?®bastien Gimbert and 10 seconds behind the winner, Vincent Philippe.

2nd round
The second race is also rich in developments. After only a few rounds, a shower just pause the show. Cut-then relaunched on 13 rounds, the fight was throat between Erwan Nigon and Julien Da Costa (Kawasaki). Nigon be able to take advantage, but will be double to 3 towers of the end. Julien Da Costa made then evidence of lot of cold-blooded to resist successive attacks of Erwan, loose nothing and ends at the end of this beautiful empoignade second. On this second round, S?®bastien Gimbert intelligently provides the 5th place with a tuning fork does not to exploit the power of his S 1000 RR braking.

Happy results of the team, Erwan Nigon confirms that, despite the lack of roulages and tests in this configuration, has been able to fight at the top of the Championship at the first two rounds of L?®denon 1000 RR s performance. One thing is certain, the BMW in the coup and are clearly there to play many podiums of the Championship.

Despite difficult weather conditions, the motivation of our drivers proved to fixed beautiful and S?®bastien Gimbert, on the podium, scandait: "Although there are some spills, we're here to make of motorcycle racing!"
2 Drivers team BMW France and their S 1000 RR therefore demonstrated the potential of BMW victory by marking valuable points in ranking ex-aequo respectively 2nd and 3rd in the Championship.

We noterons the Lo?»c Napoleone result that ranks 7th on the first race starting grid. Unfortunately a fall without gravity in the first race and a mild technical incident him are complete two races not classified. Also welcome the result of Alexandre Perrault that moves 15th and 29th respectively of first and second race.

Provisional rankings Championship: the next races (24 and 25 April Nogaro) will certainly rich in developments and no doubt that Sebastien and Erwan can bring high BMW and S 1000 RR in particular colors.

SuperStock 1000 Cup

BMW PressClub Italy ÔÇô translation by bing.com

Valencia, 11 April 2010-second test of the Superstock FIM Cup 2010 and second consecutive victory for S 1000 RR of BMW Motorrad Italy Superstock team, led by Ayrton Badovini.

After dominating the tests, Badovini took command of the race in third of thirteen rounds with a twofold overtaking on Barrier and Giugliano and imposing its own rythm which enabled him to win with little more than three seconds on the same Giugliano (Suzuki). Thanks to this assertion, Ayrton leads to FIM Cup scoring with twenty-one lengths.

"I'm more than happy. Win twice in a row is a satisfaction. Do it then on this track that I never liked too, increase your pleasure. I raced one race of head, managing the advantage acquired thanks to a couple of turns at a good pace. We're just at the beginning but to have 21 margin points from us for the next race in Assen ".

Unfortunate proof of Daniel Beretta had to retire to a technical problem during the first lap, after being the author of an excellent start.

Serafino Foti, team manager of the BMW Motorrad Italy Superstock team said: "after two consecutive victories we are obviously pleased. Ayrton was really a concrete pilot, managing good weekend and slip yesterday did not in any way compromise his performance. I am very sorry for Daniel that perhaps had managed to reach the feeling that until now had failed ".

Andrea Buzzoni, Director BMW Motorrad USA "season is going on in the best possible way, confirming the performance of the excellent debut of Portimao. A significant trend in optics Championship. I was struck by the maturity with which a great Ayrton led the race. I also compliments to the whole team for the great ability to attain and stabilisation of performance ".

This was expected
After discussions between their lawyers and those of the FIA, Mr Flavio Briatore and Mr Pat Symonds have each made a settlement offer to the FIA President with a view to putting an immediate end to the legal proceedings. Full press release

Meanwhile at the 2010 sans Briatore and Symonds version of Renault F1 ÔÇôformula1.com: Renalut ÔÇô We can move ahead of Mercedes

thesun.co.uk: Suzuki FA takes on Bandit
Neither bike mentioned in the article is currently available in the US. Watch out when they are they will take the sport touring market by storm.

Rumor Fodder: Clutch and Chrom.com: Rebirth of legendary motorcycle company
Another VW motorcycle rumor – This one has VW / Suzuki restarting the NSU brand but misses the point of the business deal struck between the two.

BMW Group has good numbers to report world wide in all segments. Rolls Royce Motorcars is producing new models and will show some serious kick butt percentages this year as it moves into its new model lineup. The other cage segments are showing a recovery at the group level but some concern remains on a country by country basis.

The motorcycle numbers are up also at a 20.9% increase. BMW gives aggregate figures in these press releases. I would love to get inside the numbers and see how models and countries break down. Sales of the S1000 RR are leading the way based on individual country press releases. BMW Mexico, for example, was up over 35% crediting the superbike sales as the leader in this. The S1000 RR sales are bucking market trends. In the UK for example the category was down 27% overall while BMW was reporting market leading strong sales of their new offering.The move into the superbike market is beginning to show returns. How other models in the product line are fairing is not clear.

BMW Group sales in/up to March 2010 at a glance
In March 2010 / Comp. to prev. year / Up to and incl. March 2010 /Comp. to prev. year

TOPBMW Group with sales growth of 13.8% in first quarter
• 12.04.2010
• Press Release
Munich. The BMW Group increased sales by 13.8% percent in the first quarter: A total of 315,614 (prev. yr. 277,264) BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brand automobiles were delivered to customers worldwide.

The company’s sales volumes rose 12.1% in March to reach a total of 141,701 (prev. yr. 126,381) vehicles. All three brands made strong gains: Sales of BMW brand vehicles climbed 12.7% to 117,696 (prev. yr. 104,423) units in the month under review. MINI delivered 23,880 vehicles in March (prev. yr. 21,888 / +9.1%), while Rolls-Royce automobiles were presented to 125 customers (prev. yr. 70 /+78.6%) last month.

Ian Robertson, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, responsible for Sales and Marketing: “We are back on our growth track in nearly all the automobile markets. We had a good first quarter with a sales increase of 13.8%. We intend to continue improving on last year’s figures throughout the second quarter – thanks not least to the new BMW 5 Series Sedan and new models such as the 3 Series Coup?® and Convertible.” Robertson added: “For 2010 as a whole, we are aiming for healthy growth in the single-digit percent range to reach more than 1.3 million vehicles.”

The BMW Group made gains in almost all automobile markets in the first quarter. The company achieved new quarterly records not only in the emerging BRIC countries of Brazil (1,658 / +131.2%), Russia (4,668 / +11.6%), India (1,314 / +32.5%) and China (34,179 / +106.1%), but also in Austria (3,589 / +23.1%), South Korea (3,517 / +65.8%) and Malaysia (967 / +14.0%), as well as in the Latin American markets (4,173 / +71.0% - including Brazil) and the Middle East (3,908 / +13.1%).

Despite the overall downward market trend, the BMW Group was the only German manufacturer to also make gains in its largest single market, Germany, where it expanded its market share. With a total of 56,617 (prev. yr. 55,837) vehicles sold in the country in the first three months of the year, there were 1.4% more new BMW and MINI registrations than in the same period last year.
In the United States, the company posted a 7.4% increase in volumes, with sales of 55,051 (prev. yr. 51,244) vehicles between January and March. Substantial increases were also seen in other key markets: For instance, in the United Kingdom sales climbed 13.8% to 34,327 (prev. yr. 30,165) units; in France sales were up 5.2% to 14,462 (prev. yr. 13,745) units; and in Spain sales were 37.4% higher at 10,374 (prev. yr. 7,549) units.

Once again the BMW brand’s larger model series – the BMW 7 Series with 14,245 (prev. yr. 9,246 /+54.1%) deliveries and the BMW X5 and X6 models with combined total deliveries of 33,723 (prev. yr. 30,784 /+9.5%) vehicles – contributed to first-quarter sales gains. Another key growth driver in the first three months of the year was the BMW Z4 Roadster with 6,461(prev. yr. 1,563 / +313.4%) deliveries. All three model series remained the clear global market leaders in their respective segments.

With a million units produced since its launch in 2004, the BMW 1 Series is another driving force behind the growth of the world’s leading manufacturer of premium automobiles. In the first quarter of 2010, this compact model series with four body variants reported an increase in sales of 2.4% to reach a total of 47,909 (prev. yr. 46,798) units. What is traditionally BMW’s highest-volume series, the BMW 3 Series, recorded 91,619 (prev. yr. 89,468 / +2.4%) sales in the period under review.

Ian Robertson: “New orders for the two newly launched X1 and 5 Series Sedan models are looking very good – easily exceeding our already high expectations. We are also very pleased with the market response to the new BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo.” No fewer than 19,657 BMW X1 and 4,484 BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo were delivered to customers during the first three months of the year. The new BMW 5 Series Sedan has been available in Europe since late March and will launch in the US in June. Initial deliveries of the new BMW 5 Series Touring and the new MINI Countryman will begin in the autumn of 2010 – hence sales are expected to further increase in the second half of the year in particular. Revised models of the BMW 3 Series Coup?® and Convertible, available to customers since late March, will provide additional momentum.

The main growth driver for the MINI brand in the first quarter was the MINI Convertible, which delivered the strongest growth with 5,954 (prev. yr. 1,878) sales worldwide (+217.0%). Considerably more customers chose the MINI One’s Hatch and Clubman variants than in the same period last year, with a total of 12,302 units (prev. yr. 6,889 / +78.6%) sold.

The BMW Motorcycle segment clearly exceeded last year’s sales in the first three months of this year: Sales were 20.9% higher at 20,840 units (17,232). In March 2010, 11,541 motorcycles – an increase of 26.8% - were delivered to customers (prev. yr . 9,100).

motobiker.org: The way the motorcycle industry should treat the internet

- Our new software will help fulfill the user experience expectation of younger riders.

- The S1000RR Superstakes is all about a bike that who's riders represent a 34-year average age demographic.

2. While maintaining our core culture: …

4. Carefully managing our budget during a challenging economy:

- The Superbike Superstakes was design with three goals: build membership, reach out to a new group of riders, and create excitement. It is working. Our renewal rate this spring is twice as high as our pre-recession rate. We have sold close to 6,000 tickets, 60% of which have gone to exiting members. This is generating many new - and renewal - members, and a very important source of cash for the club during a tight financial year.

From BMW Group Mexico

BMW Motorrad placed 312 motorcycles, allowing to reach a 37.4% increase (1Q 2009: 227). In January, the brand delved into a new segment with the new superdeportiva BMW S 1000 RR, which offers a wonderful relationship between power-to-weight. That same month BMW Motorrad renewed line R 1200 series with maximum comfort and enhanced engines motorcycles.

HMM… Appealing to a new generation of BMW riders while maintaining the core model lineup.

Ambassador Nate Kern – hmmm – The new S1000RR combined with a BMW MOA Ambassador appealing to new BMW fans

Or

The Iron Horse BMW/Evan Steel Performance Superbike continued its evolution from showroom stock to Superbike weapon in WERA competition at Las Vegas Speedway over the weekend. Chris Peris and the ESP crew were continuing to familiarize themselves with the BMW S1000RR Superbike and fine tune its setup.

I am not a surgeon and I do not play one on TV but have been involved in enough vehicle heart transplants to know that more often than not they are bloody messes running on life support for the rest of their lives unless thought time and care are taken. The fate of many transplant projects is similar to a recent caf?® project we attempted for my daughter which has been sitting in the morgue, a.k.a. storage unit, for a year and a half. In the right hands the outcome of a heart transplant can be very impressive.

My apologies to the original source I did not write the web address in my notes on the bike.

Today’s cruller is the result of matting a aging Yamaha 175 enduro chassis and a rebuilt Yamaha XS 650 engine. Staying within species, or brands in the case of motorized vehicles, can make a transplant easier for many reasons; however, in this case extensive chassis modifications were needed to accommodate another 475ccs of engine.

Stock image not the donor bike

Chassis surgery is the point where most transplants turn ugly. All to often the would be Christian Barnard mechanic lacks the requisite diversity of skills to pull this off. This is where time thought and planning come into play. The unknown builder had these skills and from the pictures pulled off a very successful transplant operation.

Working surgeon friends who did the chassis mods our builder focused on details such as making an exhaust system that mimics the original bike’s and all the pesky work. The end result is visually stunning.

How it handles on the street or in the real world may be another story but one I would love to throw a leg over and find out about.

I have a few days off coming up. I wonder where the storage unit key is. Nah I think I will stick to the plan to take the Roadster out and ride…maybe along the way to the storage unit.

Wednesday, April 14

BMW Motorrad Motorsport - Interview Rainer B?ñumel
ÔÇó 14.04.2010
ÔÇó Press Release
Munich/Stephanskirchen, 14th April 2010. Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport posted the best result yet in its short history in the FIM Superbike World Championship at Valencia. Here, Technical Director Rainer B?ñumel talks about the technical advances the team has made with the BMW S 1000 RR and assesses the performance of the team and BMW rider Troy Corser.

Rainer B?ñumel, the race weekend at Valencia was the most successful in the young history of Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport in the Superbike World Championship. How would you assess the teamÔÇÖs performance?

Rainer B?ñumel: ÔÇ£From a technical standpoint, the recent tests and race weekends have been extremely positive as a whole. Our test data and race results show that our calm and thorough way of working is, step by step, bringing us closer to the leading teams. The second race at Valencia should be treated as a separate case; the high track temperature in the afternoon caused us some issues with grip. Nonetheless, TroyÔÇÖs performance throughout the weekend shows that we are capable of setting consistently fast times. Our testing team are currently in action at Mugello, then comes the race weekend at Assen, followed by more testing at Misano. IÔÇÖm sure weÔÇÖll learn more important things about the bike over this period.ÔÇØ

Troy Corser enjoyed the lionÔÇÖs share of this success. How would you sum up his performance?

RB: ÔÇ£Troy was extremely focused over the whole weekend at Valencia. In the first race he launched the bike off the start line straight into the lead. And later on he defended his fourth place successfully, in a spectacular battle with Noriyuki Haga. In a nutshell, Troy has done a fantastic job. IÔÇÖve never seen him fighting like this before in his time with us. IÔÇÖm very proud of whatÔÇÖs heÔÇÖs doing, and working with him is a lot of fun.ÔÇØ

Troy praised the new traction control software several times over the race weekend. To what extent does it differ from the software previously used?

RB: ÔÇ£The new software enables the traction control to work to optimum effect and reduces chassis movements. And that makes it easier for our riders to take corners faster and more cleanly mid-drift.ÔÇØ

How much potential is there still in the BMW S1000 RR?

RB: ÔÇ£The potential of the bike depends to a large degree on the characteristics of the different circuits. Our aim is to get as much as we can out of the bike given the circumstances at each particular track. Over the last few weeks weÔÇÖve been racing at circuits where weÔÇÖve struggled in the past. With that in mind, itÔÇÖs very promising to have delivered good performances at both Portim?úo and Valencia. When we get to places like Monza, Silverstone, the N??rburgring and Magny-Cours, weÔÇÖre sure to reap the rewards of the advances weÔÇÖre making at present.ÔÇØFormula 1 and ÔÇª

Image management is high on the to do list critics put together for Harley-DavidsonÔÇÖs survival. With that in mind I have to scratch my head, like Mike Werner over at Bikes in the Fast Lane, at this Harley-Davidson advert.

The FIA Wants You ÔÇô alright, they want Mansell, Hill, Fittipaldi and other recognizable drivers to joint their stewards teams as consultants. The is cooperation and resistance among these big names that have moved from the cockpit to other lives.
- For China the recognizable name is
- autosport.com: Wurz joins China stewardsÔÇÖ panel

Friday, April 16

Munich/Stephanskirchen, 16th April 2010. Fresh from recording their best result so far in the FIM Superbike World Championship at Valencia, Spain, Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport ÔÇô headed by BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director Berthold Hauser ÔÇô are busy preparing for the fourth race weekend of the 2010 season. Riders Troy Corser (AUS) and Ruben Xaus (ESP) will be striving to maintain the teamÔÇÖs upturn in form at the classic Assen circuit in the Netherlands.

The BMW Motorrad Motorsport test team stopped off at the Mugello circuit in Italy during the week before Assen. Troy and the crew spent Tuesday and Wednesday working on the set-up of the BMW S 1000 RR. The Australian racked up a total of 564 kilometres over the two days.

Troy Corser:
ÔÇ£In the early years of my career we used to race on the old Assen circuit, which I liked a lot. It was an old-school kind of track, the sort you used to get a lot of in the 1970s: flat, quick and with a lot of long, sweeping corners. The character of the circuit has been retained, despite a series of modifications, but it has lost some of its appeal for the riders. ThatÔÇÖs not the case for the fans, though; this is still a great event and the atmosphereÔÇÖs fantastic.

IÔÇÖve never really nailed a race at Assen, although I have made the podium a few times. At Assen you have to take a big risk to be really ultra-fast, and that doesnÔÇÖt necessarily suit my riding style. If the bike isnÔÇÖt set up perfectly you lose a lot of time ÔÇô especially in the last section through the three right-handers Mandeveen, Duikersloot and Meeuwenmeer and the long left-hander afterwards. IÔÇÖm just taking each race as it comes. WeÔÇÖve made some key improvements to the bike over the last few weeks and taken big steps forward in terms of acceleration and top speed.ÔÇØ

Ruben Xaus:
ÔÇ£IÔÇÖm a fan of Assen, and the track suits my riding style. IÔÇÖve finished on the podium here several times and won one of the races in 2003. My crew is doing an outstanding job. We are improving our understanding of the bike all the time and IÔÇÖm only one small step away from getting some good results. I hope I can turn things around at Assen and will be fighting all the way; I owe it to BMW.ÔÇØ

Berthold Hauser, BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director:
ÔÇ£After our most successful race weekend to date at Valencia, we move on to our next challenge. The TT Circuit Assen is not one of the better tracks for our bike. However, we showed in Spain that weÔÇÖre now able to give a good account of ourselves in places where weÔÇÖve struggled in the past. After six races weÔÇÖve collected 16 points more than at the same stage in our debut season. Our aim is to continue the upward trend of the past couple of weekends.

With the nature of the Assen track itÔÇÖs important that Troy and Ruben keep everything very smooth. The traction control software developments our technicians have been working on should help both riders here.ÔÇØ

Background:
Assen is the capital of the Dutch province of Drenthe. This city of just under 70,000 people lies in the north of the province. The centre of Assen ÔÇô the oldest part of the city ÔÇô has witnessed significant changes during the course of its development and visitors will find a mix of buildings from various eras. Today, around 5,200 people live in the centre. This is the signature district of the city, and boasts a swathe of shops and leisure facilities.

The TT Circuit Assen has been designed specifically for the demands of motorcycle racing. Several of its 11 left-hand and six right-hand corners are banked. The grandstands at this Dutch motorcycle mecca can hold a total of around 100,000 spectators. Bike racing has a long tradition at Assen, with a round of the World Championship taking place here every year since 1949. A permanent race track measuring 7.705 kilometres in length was built in 1955, consigning the original road race through the villages of Borger, Schoonloo and Grolloo to the history books. In 2006 the length of the circuit was shortened to 4.555 kilometres. Since 1992 Assen has played host to 36 Superbike World Championship races, Ruben Xaus winning one of them in 2003.

The layout of the ÔÇ£TT Circuit AssenÔÇØ encourages a flowing style. In the hairpin, the turnin characteristics and acceleration of the bike are of utmost importance. Changes have been made to the approach to Ruskenhoek. The rest of the circuit flows easily, requiring bikes to be set up for good corner entry. The penultimate turn demands a stable bike, with heavy braking being the order of the day for the final chicane.

HamiltonÔÇÖs new hobby of weaving is coming up for criticism form his fellow drivers; meanwhile his impounded Mercedes is going to be auctioned off in Australia.

Three races into a new F1 season and the silly season has already begun. Rumors have been rampant of an early exit for Schumacher which would open a seat at Mercedes GP, but he claims he still is in the title hunt even though bookies are taking bets he wonÔÇÖt win a race this season. Robert Kubica is happy and focusing on the present over at Renault but is rumored to be going to Ferrari if Massa can not come to terms with Ferrari.

Ecclestone expected to worry about racing rules after the Asian/Australian round or races but instead he will be heading to Korea to se if the October 24th race needs to be cancelled and an alternate scheduled. Race promoters claim to be ahead of schedule.

Lola had applied for entrance into the 2010 season in last yearÔÇÖs original group of applicants that resulted in the current field. Development of a F1 car reportedly continued after being passed over so it comes as a surprise that Lola will not pursue a 2011 F1 entry.

Other Racing News

The BMW Motorrad GS Trophy 2010. Adventure, sports and competition in South Africa.
ÔÇó 15.04.2010
ÔÇó Press Release
Munich. Two years ago, BMW Motorrad held its first ever international GS Trophy event in Tunisia, where BMW GS riders from Germany, Italy, Spain, Japan and the USA met up in Africa for a week of adventure riding, special tests, teamwork challenges and problem solving ÔÇô all designed around having fun, getting back to nature and enjoying this iconic genre of adventure motorcycle.

With the legendary BMW GS Enduro celebrating its 30th birthday in 2010, BMW Motorrad is planning a bigger BMW GS Trophy event for this year, which will take place from November 13th to November 21st in South Africa, Swaziland and Mozambique ÔÇô surely some of the best places in the world to ride a BMW GS motorcycle. The winners of the 2008 BMW GS Trophy ÔÇô the USA ÔÇô have already confirmed their participation, along with teams from Spain, Italy, Japan, Scandinavia, Germany, the UK, South Africa and Canada.

Indeed, the planning for November has already started in the above countries, which are all launching their own series of national BMW GS challenges in order to find the best team of riders to represent their country at this prestigious event.

According to BMW MotorradÔÇÖs GS Trophy organiser Michael Trammer, NovemberÔÇÖs South African BMW GS Trophy adventure is definitely not a race, as hard work, technical riding skills, camaraderie and team spirit will be the most important elements for overall success:

ÔÇ£Our first International BMW GS Trophy was held in 2008 in Tunisia and this event was designed to give amateurs with off-road experience the opportunity to take part in a large-scale enduro competition,ÔÇØ says Michael Trammer. ÔÇ£The lucky ones that were selected from the national trials were invited to spend ten unforgettable days in the Tunisian desert, where they faced tough challenges which often pushed them to the limits of their capacity.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£For 2010, weÔÇÖre looking to ensure that the finalists of this yearÔÇÖs BMW GS Trophy are of a comparable standard, so although the national qualifying rounds will have their own distinctive character, there will be a series of tests that correspond to a standardised level throughout the world. This will help ensure that none of the finalists of the BMW GS Trophy 2010 are faced with challenges that are insurmountable or even dangerous. ItÔÇÖs our desire that whatever the final result will be, each participant will get to experience something they will never forget ÔÇô ultimately, there will be no losers, as just to be selected to represent your country in South Africa in the best possible way is a significant achievement.ÔÇØ

All the national qualifying events are following a similar structure and the top three in each country will be selected to take part in the final event in South Africa. Nine nations have already confirmed their participation at the 2010 BMW GS Trophy in November and there are possibly more to come. This unforgettable event will see some of the best amateur off-road riders from Europe, Japan, Canada and the USA meet up at the country that is hosting this yearÔÇÖs FIFA World Cup, for around eight days of adventure riding and team building in spectacular terrain.

Saturdy, April 17

WSBK et al.

gpone.com: SBK ÔÇô BMW near the podium
After CorserÔÇÖs fourth place in Valencia, BMW Motorrad Motosport went to Mugello where Corser has logged some 560 kilometers in two days of testing to prepare for Assen.

motogp.com: Rossi bruised but not seriously injured after motocross incident

TwoWheels expands the question I have asked before about BMW to include Aprilia: BMW and Aprilia in MotoGP in 2012?

I think a move to MotoGP in the new rule system makes all sorts of sense. It is the most visible motorcycle racing series world wide. It would truly be a flagship racing series whose technology could be filtered down to the lineup in a variety of ways. SBK could remain as the direct street link. Other series such as e-GP series could be explored under the flagship banner as well giving BMW a true sporting image and market plan.

The idea that a Moto2 chassis builder has a prototype Moto1 with a S1000RR engine stuffed in it is fascinating. It is not as simple as the brief article seems to suggest. The Dorna ÔÇÿMoto1ÔÇÖ bike has drawn criticism from WSBK for fear of what TwoWheels suggests; a production engine in a GP chassis. Dorna has studiously avoided this in the make up of the engine rules. While the bore is defined as a 81mm maximum and the S1000RR fits in this it does not meet the second portion of the very simple engine rules. The new 1000cc class is restricted to prototype engines, which the S1000RR engine is clearly not. This caveat was added to appease WSBK and keep everyone out of courts.

The up side for everyone is a prototype 1000cc engine would mean further development in the class. Once past the prototype stage engine features or the full GP engine could be down streamed into the S bike and a new prototype would be developed to replace it.

While I hope that BMW does evolve from a series sponsor for MotoGP to a participant, Aprilia presents another case altogether. The company long ruled the 250GP class. It reaped the benefits of this in the showroom and when it returned to WSBK. Aprilia considered sponsoring a Moto2 bike but killed that thought early on when Moto2 was restricted to the Honda engine. Apparently that was to big a pill for them to swallow on the track. The new engine class in GP racing should be very appealing for all the same reasons that I suggest for BMW.

I will be shocked is Aprilia doesnÔÇÖt participate and see a real possibility of both appearing in the revised GP series in 2012.

caradisiac.com: List of participants in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Number 7 and 17 are back on the list.

motoczysz.com: Reciprocating vs Rotary
ÔÇ£The first version MotoCzysz D1-10 generates over 100rwhp (rear wheel hp) which may not sound like much until you add the 250ft/lbs of torque to the equation. A current 2010 600cc sportbike makes 118hp (105+- rwhp) and 48 ft/lbs of torque at the crank, so the RWHP is right on target, the game changer is torque. Torque is the accelerative force; a motorcycle with more torque will out accelerate a motorcycle with less torqueÔÇØ

This story has been floating around the motorcycle sites for several days. Here it is from Hell for Leather: HFL: This is why cops and bikers donÔÇÖt get along

I have not included it to this point fully expecting it to turn up in the Photography forum for discussion there. I just checked and did not find it. Set aside the stupidity of both the rider and the cop as described in the story what is the take of the photographers in the group on this?

visordown.com: Canadian demolition company flattens HellÔÇÖs Angles club house

Here is the UK BMW press sales press release

TOP BMW Motorrad UK celebrates record-breaking sales in 2010
ÔÇó 16.04.2010
ÔÇó Press Release
Following the release of the March 2010 Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA) registration results, BMW Motorrad is pleased to announce record-breaking sales in the UK during the first three months of 2010.
BMW Motorrad registrations for the first quarter of 2010 to 31 March, key highlights:
ÔÇó BMW Motorrad sales up 40 per cent in a motorcycle market that is down 20 per cent.
ÔÇó BMW MotorradÔÇÖs share of the total motorcycle market at 12.6 per cent makes BMW the third most popular motorcycle manufacturer in the UK.
ÔÇó BMW Motorrad sold more motorcycles over 500cc than any other manufacturer in the UK, with 16.8 per cent share of the +500cc sector.
ÔÇó S 1000 RR sales accounted for 43.2 per cent of the 1000cc supersports segment and the RR was the best-selling motorcycle over 125cc, with a total of 465 sold.
ÔÇó The new BMW R 1200 RT jumped straight to the top of the touring sector selling 285. The K 1300 GT was the second most popular in the segment, giving BMW a 40 per cent share of the tourer market.
BMW Motorrad registrations for the month of March 2010, key highlights:
ÔÇó March saw the highest ever number of BMW registrations in one month, with 1,539 motorcycles sold - up 50 per cent over the same period last year.
ÔÇó The S 1000 RR was the best-selling supersports motorcycle in the UK, recording 385 motorcycles sold.
ÔÇó Four of the UKÔÇÖs five best-selling motorcycles over 125cc were BMWs.
1st S 1000 RR
3rd= R 1200 GS
3rd= R 1200 GS Adventure
5th R 1200 RT
ÔÇó The uprated R 1200 GS and GS Adventure topped the adventure sports category.
ÔÇó On 01 March 2010, 380 BMW motorcycles were registered in the UK - the highest ever number of BMW bikes registered in a single day.
Adrian Roderick, General Manager of BMW Motorrad UK, said: ÔÇ£March has been a record-breaking month for BMW Motorrad in the UK. Not only have we sold more bikes than ever before but we also have a bike topping the supersports league table. Who could have predicted that a few years ago?
ÔÇ£The S 1000 RR has been phenomenally successful. The uprated R 1200 GS and R 1200 RT have also topped their market sectors. We have the most dynamic and exciting range of motorcycles weÔÇÖve ever had and weÔÇÖre delighted that the buying public think so too.ÔÇØ

FWIW

I will admit it. Valentino Rossi can outride me on the track and out squid me on the street. However; I can fall over in the dirt just as good if not better than the nine time World Champion.